CITY CHASING FRESH IDEAS
SOME Gold Coast City councillors are clearly battle fatigued from the oceanside cruise ship terminal debate. They want to talk up new projects for the city. They are asking ratepayers for their ideas.
William Owen-Jones and Glenn Tozer, for the first time, have asked ratepayers to talk up other potential projects.
The feedback on Cr Tozer’s official Facebook page has been for clean and smart industries which fit with our pristine coastline. Residents urged him to look at health, education, fitness, science and clean manufacturing “without environmental damage to the ocean and beach”.
The timing for this debate is interesting because both councillors are head down in budget submissions at city hall. After this round of special budget meetings, Mayor Tom Tate unveils the final document next month.
Cr Owen-Jones explained on Facebook that the CST was a complex project being built in the ocean with a multi-layered approval process and an estimated capital cost of almost $470 million.
The Mayor, with the backing of a majority of councillors, had asked the State to tick off on two options – at Philip Park and Doug Jennings Park on The Spit – to enable further studies to be funded to ensure the project was shovel ready.
As Cr Owen-Jones explained to ratepayers, the Government has declined to have a co-ordinated response to the project through State Development at least until the end of The Spit Master Plan was completed in in 2019-20.
Council officers had previously recommended a further $8.4 million would need to be budgeted for across three financial years in order to continue towards the completion of the “project development phase”.
What this means for ratepayers is both energy and a significant amount of potential funding can be channelled into other tourism avenues.
Destination Gold Coast leaders at a special budget meeting yesterday outlined requests for funding in six game-changer areas. They want to promote the cultural precinct interstate and work on encouraging the drive market to visit here.
From within council there will be pressure on both the Mayor and councillors from scrooges to cut back on spending but this is a unique budget from a tourism perspective.
The city needs to ensure it gains every benefit from the Commonwealth Games and avoids an economic hangover like Sydney after the Olympics. It no longer needs to spend on the event.
Opening up debate is a first step, whether it involves promoting HOTA down south, getting a value-for-money dive site or pushing on with light rail stage three. Residents need to get on board.